Medical suction systems are used in hospital environments and particularly during various surgical procedures to drain and store bodily fluid from a patient. In general, medical suction systems are used in conjunction with a vacuum source, which enables the bodily fluid to be drained from the patient. Two types of medical suction systems used to contain fluid from a patient include a hard canister type suction canister and a liner-type suction canister.
It has become important in environments such as hospitals to eliminate the handling of and thus reduce personnel exposure to bodily fluids. Hospitals typically dispose of the fluid contained in a medical suction apparatus in various ways. Fluid can be poured from the medical suction apparatus down the hospital sink and into a sewer system, can be incinerated as a liquid or solid, or can be disposed of at an approved hazardous waste site.